Women in Aviation International is hosting the eighth annual Girls in Aviation Day event on Saturday, September 24 at the Aerospace Center for Excellence in Lakeland. The 10 a.m.-2 p.m. free event will include STEM activities, such as a flight simulator and drone lab, and an aviation exhibit. The Aerospace Center for Excellence will have a scavenger hunt during Girls in Aviation Day to provide a fun, engaging activity to teach participants as well.
During the event, women aviators will have the opportunity to connect with the local aviation business community to learn more about the aerospace and aviation industry. Generous volunteers and employees from Women in Aviation International and the Aerospace Center for Excellence have donated their time to put on the free event to foster a love for the industry through the partnership.
“The international organization of women who work in the aviation and aerospace field have this event primarily to expose young girls to the aviation and aerospace industry so they see that it is accessible to them,” said executive director Eric Crump.
The Aerospace Center for Excellence is hosting the event to make it accessible to aspiring aviators and to give them the opportunity to be mentored by a pilot or leader in their field.
“They have eight women who have various jobs, from air traffic controller to aviation maintenance technician [to] pilot, who work all in the sector and are there for girls to … talk to them [and] meet a friend,” said Crump.
Registration for the free event opened at the end of August. Upon registering, girls ages 11-17 will be entered into a drawing for a free discovery flight and notified if they won at the event. While the event is aimed toward young girls, their families, parents and siblings are invited to attend as well.
“The goal really for us as an organization is to make sure people realize that aviation and aerospace is for everybody,” said Crump. “It’s not exclusive, it’s inclusive; we want everybody.”
For more information about or to register for the event and to learn how to get involved, visit https://aceedu.org/ or email educate@flysnf.org with questions.
The event will be located at 4075 James C. Ray Dr. in Lakeland.
